Product Description

This revised edition features new contributions by experts in contemporary biblical scholarship and this readable resource introduces each book of the Bible and interprets it section by section. Articles place Scripture in its historical, literary, and interpretive contexts. Features photo-illustrations, charts, and maps. Entries are cross-referenced to the companionHarperCollins Bible Dictionary. The commentary covers all of the Hebrew Bible, as well as the books of the Apocrypha and those of the New Tesatament and thus addresses the biblical canons of Judiasm, Cathol- icism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. Its innovative format covers the books of the Bible in three ways: general essays setting the literary, cultural, and historical context for the entire Bible, articles intro- ducing major sections of the Bible, and commentaries on the individual books themselves by the finest contemporary biblical scholars.

Publisher's Description

The Bible  sacred scripture, literary classic, historical document. No matter how it is viewed, it remains the basis of much of Western culture. This fully revised edition of the HarperCollins Bible Commentary is the most uptodate reference book of its kind for understanding and interpreting the meaning of the Bible. The accessible and highly readable format sets a new standard for excellence.

The Commentary covers all of the Hebrew Bible, as well as the books of the Apocrypha and those of the New Testament, and thus addresses the biblical canons of Judaism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. its innovative format covers the books of the Bible in three ways:

General essays setting the literary, cultural, and historical context for the entire Bible

Articles introducing major sections of the Bible

Commentaries on the individual books themselves by the finest contemporary biblical scholars

The HarperCollins Bible Commentary is unprecedented in its clarity, organization, and insight into the Bible. Helpful crossreferences to its companion, the HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, mean that readers will have all they need to explore the riches of the Scriptures for years to come.

Every section of the Commentary offers concise and authoritative guidance that will enable the reader to return to the text equipped to understand and appreciate the Bible more fully. Each of the eightythree contributors to this splendid volume is a leading expert in his or her field and a member of the Society of Biblical Literature. They have produced a volume that belongs in homes, schools, houses of worship, and libraries  wherever there is a Bible.

General editor James L. Mays is the Cyrus McCormick Professor of Hebrew and the Old Testament Emeritus at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He has served as president of the Society of Biblical Literature and is a widely respected author and editor.

Author Bio

James L. Mays, Ph.D. is the Cyrus McCormick Professor of Hebrew and the Old Testament Emeritus at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He has served as president of the Society of Biblical Literature and is a widely respected author and editor of books and commentaries.

This is one of my most consulted commentaries. I highly recommend it. It is NOT of a standard evangelical slant. The commentators step back from their personal theological convictions and just dig into the text and the minds of the original authors - and what their preaching meant to their contemporaries. Obviously, with so many writers, there are strengths and weaknesses. Much more strength.

If I read some sermon or paper that takes a theological stand on something and the preacher/writer cites a passage from the Bible, I can consult this commentary and quite often learn if the preacher is using the passage correctly or if the writer meant something completely different.

This IS a useful commentary except buyers should be forewarned that virtually all commentaries are written from the rationalistic "higher critical" mind-set. That is, denial of Mosaic authorship of the Torah, and that all prophecies in scripture were written "after the fact".